Senior Leadership Initiative

The Corporate Board Development Program, which has been sponsored by Altria Group, Inc., since 2002, works with the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. The program provides Council members with training and research about the responsibilities of board directors, as well as the latest in board leadership topics. Since its inception, more than 600 Council members have taken part in these Board development programs , with 200 receiving certificates from NACD and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business.

The Annual CEO Diversity Summit, currently sponsored by AIG, brings member company CEOs and Council members together in a day-long learning environment to discuss corporate best practices and issues related to workplace diversity. Since its inception in 2001 by founding sponsor GE, more than 200 Fortune 500 CEOs have participated.

The Black Women’s Leadership Summit/Symposium and the Black Women on… series is a day-long leadership development symposium that was originally developed by Merrill Lynch as “Black Women on Wall Street” with support from multiple Executive Leadership Council member companies. The Summit focuses primarily on senior-level African-American women executives and leaders in the corporate, public policy, legislative, and academic arenas. The Executive Leadership Council continues and expands “Black Women on…” series of panels to allow the Council to leverage the incredible success of this signature event to engage a broader range of member and non-member participation in various discussion categories and industries.  This annual panel is held in different cities to extend the participation of Council members and audience participants across the country, and cover different subjects.  Our 2011 offering entitled “Black Women on Public Policy” covered perspectives on public policy and legislative initiatives are developed. The Black Women on . . . series panel discussion features interaction between senior African-American women executives and junior and mid-level African-American corporate women. The sessions include frank, open panel discussions on key issues facing African-American corporate women, their ascent into leadership positions, and their processes for obtaining and maintaining power.

Spring & Winter General Membership Meetings, held nationwide, are designed to provide The Executive Leadership Council membership with networking, leadership opportunities, professional development, research, and executive briefings. Members are informed about important business, public policy, and leadership trends and issues affecting business and the African- American community. Guest speakers include senior African-American corporate executives and CEOs from Fortune 500 companies, higher education and public policy leaders, researchers, community development experts, and others. Recent sponsors include Darden Restaurants, Food Lion, ProLine Products, and Safeway.